Another clean-up of Colombo- Cabinet approval for removal of 50,000 families!
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Cabinet approval has been received for the removal of 50,000 low income families in and around Colombo and releasing 400 acres to be used for commercial purposes.

The families residing in the Maligawatte Railway Department land, Kettarama Applewatte, Kimbula-Ela in Blumandal and the Ratmalana Irrigation Department land will be removed under this project.

It is said that Rs. 170 billion has been allocated for the families that would be removed.

Accordingly, each family will be provided a house worth Rs. 3 million each.

The funds for this purpose will be obtained under the Asian Bank infrastructure facilities loan project.The proposal has been submitted to Cabinet by the Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The sale of lands in Colombo to foreign companies began with the sale of the Army Headquarters land in Galle Face to Shangri La.

Social activist on urban settlements and removal of slum dwellers in Colombo and Editor of the Slum Magazine Upul Janaka Jayasinghe said the reason that urban development is unsuccessful is because solutions are being sought without properly studying the urban life.

Responding to questions posed by Sri Lanka Mirror he said, if urban dwellers are to be removed from Colombo, they should be provided suitable livelihood opportunities that they are used to at their new locations.

He added that relocating the slum dwellers from Jinthupitiya to Dematagoda is not practical as those engaged in selling green leaves in Jinthupitiya cannot engage in the same business in Dematagoda as there are others engaged in this business in that area already.

He pointed out that during President Premadasa’s tenure people from five slum areas were relocated at the Nawagampura Gam-Udawa project and as a result of clashes between groups around 10 persons were killed.